O1uwapelumi

Synopsis:
In a world where Alphas rule with absolute power, Alpha Caidren Thorne stands above them all—a warlord feared for his cruelty, a ruler whose hands are stained with the blood of both enemies and kin. His lands are harsh, his rule even harsher, and his name alone is enough to strike terror into the hearts of those who hear it.

But there is a darker truth hidden beneath his legend.

Every Omega sent to him has perished.

No one knows why. No one dares to ask. Some whisper that his presence alone is enough to snuff out their fragile lives, that no Omega can withstand his brutality. Others say that he is cursed, doomed to be alone forever. But Caidren does not care. He has never let anyone close—not a mate, not a lover, not even his own people. His heart is stone, and his hands are weapons.

When the noble House Velmire is forced to offer him an Omega, they do not send their treasured daughter. Instead, they send Elias—an adopted outcast, a boy without a place in their world. Elias has spent his life alone, unwanted, and now, he is being sent to a fate worse than death.

And when he arrives at the Bloodfang Stronghold, he is welcomed by a scene of horror.

A man clothed in black can be seen writhing in agony. Blood soaking the ground. And standing above it all, delivering judgment with cold precision, is Alpha Caidren.

Elias’ fear takes root instantly. This man is no savior. He is death itself.

Caidren barely acknowledges him, dismissing him with a single glance. Another Omega. Another life that will soon disappear.

But Elias does not die.

Days pass. Then weeks. And for the first time, an Omega survives.

Elias is not weak. He is not fragile. He is not like the others. And against every instinct, every warning, Caidren begins to take notice.

What starts as indifference turns to fascination. What was once just another burden soon becomes something the Alpha refuses to let go of.

For the first time in his life, Caidren is afraid—not of war, not of death, but of the one thing he never thought he could have.

And when enemies rise and threaten to take Elias away, Caidren will burn the world to keep his Omega safe.

scarred by the Alpher, claimed by his touch.

Elias didn't react to the Alpha's words.

Because if he acknowledged them—if he so much as let his expression shift—then he was playing right into the Alpha's hands.

So instead, he met the Alpha's gaze with calculated indifference. "Is that why I'm here?"

The Alpha exhaled softly, the ghost of a smirk still playing at his lips. "Partly."

His fingers tapped against the armrest again—slow, methodical.

"Tell me, Elias." The Alpha's voice dropped slightly, taking on that smooth, unreadable edge. "What exactly do you dream about?"

Elias felt his body lock up for a fraction of a second.

It was subtle. Almost imperceptible.

Elias saw the shift in his expression—the slight darkening of his gaze, the way his smirk deepened, as if he had just confirmed something.

Elias forced himself to remain still. "I don't dream."

The Alpha leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees, his sharp gaze never leaving Elias's face.

"Strange," he murmured. "I could have sworn you looked… restless this morning."

He was just playing. Testing. Looking for cracks.

Elias inhaled slowly, then exhaled, his expression betraying nothing. "If you summoned me just to waste my time, I'll assume we're finished here."

Before Elias could fully rise, a strong hand gripped his wrist—firm but not forceful, warm against his skin.

Not because of the grip itself, but because of what it did to him.

Because the moment the Alpha touched him, his body reacted.

Heat surged beneath his skin. His pulse spiked. His breath hitched—so slight, so brief, but the Alpha caught it.

The corner of his lips curved, eyes darkening further.

Not hard. Not enough to be aggressive.

Just enough to guide Elias back down, slow and deliberate, until he was once again sitting across from him.

Because the silence between them—the thick, heated, suffocating silence—said everything.

Elias swallowed. "What are you doing?"

The Alpha's thumb traced once over the inside of his wrist, almost thoughtful.

Then, just as smoothly, he let go.

Because the phantom warmth of that touch lingered, spreading up his arm, sinking deep into his bones.

He leaned back again, completely at ease, completely unbothered, as if nothing had happened.

As if he hadn't just shattered every ounce of composure Elias had left.

"That," the Alpha murmured, voice almost amused, "wasn't the reaction of someone who doesn't dream."

Elias hated how his breath caught at that.

Hated the slow, lazy smirk that followed.

Hated the way his own body betrayed him, even now, even after everything.

He hated that, in that moment, he had no idea if he wanted to run—

Or if he wanted the Alpha to do it again.

chapter 118: confusion